Improvement in refrigerators



2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

E.- B. SMITH. Refrigerator.

Patented Oct. 26, 1875.

N.PETERS. PHOT0-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHxNGTON. o C.

E. SMITH. Refrigerator.

A l Ml f @j l Ey, 3

WITNESSES l y lINVENTOR 2 Sheets--S'heet 2.

Patented Oct. 26, 1875. Y

ATToRNEYs,

-angular paper frame I.

t-NITED STATES EDGAR B. SMITH, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 169.306, dated October 26, 1875; application led March 16, 1875.

CASE B.

To all whom it mayconcem:

Be it known that I, EDGAR B. SMITH, of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new -and useful Improvements in Refrigerators; and I, do hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, Sheet l, is a vertical longitudinal section of the refrigerator. Fig. 2, Sheet l, is a horizontal section. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a vertical section ofthe drip-pan, provision-cases, and ice-tanks removed from the refrigeratorcase and Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is an end view of the refrigerator, showing in section the application of the metallic inclosing-case.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote the same parts.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved refrigerator for the preservation of provisions during transportation from onepart of the country to another; and it consists, first, in a series of upright metallicprovisioncases placed under and within a metallic icetank, and arranged in a portable refrigerator,

having its walls composed of a nest of paper boxes inclosed by a woodenl cabinet, and provided with dead-air spaces between them; secondly, in providing the refrigerator with a metal inclosing-case to protect it when exposed to the weather, such case having a suitable cover, by which access is had to the top of the refrigerator without removing the case therefrom, as I will presently describe.

In the accompanying drawings, A is thel outside cabinet of wood, lined with a thick water-proof paper, and containing two paper boxes fitted snugly one within the other. The

inner box is formed of one thick and one thin plate or sheet, b, of water-proof paper, with dead-air spaces c between them, and the outer box is formed of similar sheets, d d, with a dead-air space, e, between them. A dead-air space, f, is also formed between the two boxes, and between the inner box and the metal tank or case G, placed therein. A similar space, h, is formed between the cabinet and outer box, and also above the two cases around the rect- This frame rests upon the top of the inner box, and is flanged to support the .coverJ of the tank G, which cover is composed of paper sheets stretched over rectangular paper-frames, so as to leave dead-air spaces between them, the under side being lined or formed of sheet metal to form the top of the tank. The door of the cabinet is also composed of paper, or paper and wood, arranged to form dead-air spaces, as shown. The various strips L, which separate the boxes from each other, and from the cabinet and tank G, are made of thick paper-stock, as are, also, the strips M, which form the spacingstrips between the walls of theboxes themselves, and to which such walls are secured. The construction of the refrigerator thus far described forms the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent ledby me, and do not, therefore, claim it herein.

The present invention consists in adapting such refrigerator for the preservation of food during transportation in the following manner: N is a drip pan, supported upon the bottom of the tank G, so as to nearly ll the area thereof, and O O are receptaclesfor the provisions placed in an upright position beside each other upon the drip-pan. Their upper ends are held together by being let into the raised bottom of a metal ice-chest, P', of such size as to nearly ill the area of the tank G. Strips q, secured to the sides of the ice-chest, bear against the walls of the tank G, to hold the chest in place, and prevent the provision- .receptacles from tipping or becoming displaced. The portion of the ice-chest not raised for the admission of the receptacles Q extends around the sides of the latter, and is perforated for the escape of .water into the dripping-pan beneath. A pipe, R, formed with a trap or gooseneck, extends from the drip-pan down through the bottom of the refrigerator for the discharge of the water. The provision-receptacles are unprovided with covers, save that formed by the raised bottom of the ice-chest; but one side of each carries l a plate, s, removed therefrom a short distance,

yso as to form an air-space, and made perforate or imperforate, as preferred.

When the receptacles are in position, and contain the articles to be preserved, these airspaces lie between them, and permit'` the free circulationof icold airuponall sides. The

receptacles are, therefore, more completely exposed for the refrigeration of their contents than if they were closely packed together without the intermediate air-spaces. The icetank is provided with suitable lifting-handles, t, and is made of sucient height to till the space under the coverJ, which mayrestdown upon its upper edge, as shown in Fig. 1.

After the refrigerator has been packedit is inclosed by a sheet-metal case, M', (slfovvn in- Fig. 4,) to protect it against' the action of the weather, and the case is provided with a'y hinged cover, N', through which access is had, when desired, to the cover of the refrigerator;

The inclosing-casc enables the refrigerator to be transported upon open platform-cars, or to be `placed 'in any locality exposed to the weather, Without injury to its interior parts or to its` contents. The paper Walls, built up with'dead-air spaces between them, constitute j excellent non-conductors of heat and cold, and y thereforeV eifectually protect the. contents of the provision-receptacles during the transporjtation in all seasons of the year.

Iclaimisfj` -v y 1 A. a.'

I 1., In combination with th'epaperfwalled refrigerator, the upright provisionreceptacles OO and the ice-chest P, placed over and purpose specified. i

2. The ice-chest P, constructed with a raised bott0mtoinclose the tops of the upright provisionreceptacles O O, and form a cover for the same, substantially as described.

3. The combination of thedrip-pan and the superposed group 4`of food-boxes, provided with means for keeping them apart, as and for the purpose specified.

upon them, substantially as described, for the 4. The removable sheet-metalinclsing-case M', provided with the cover N', and fitted over the refrigerator for its protection, substantially as described, for the purpose specilied. i

f g l EDGAR B. SMITH.

Witnesses: i

E. S. KARNER, M. CHURCH.

vHaving thus described` my invention, "what i 

